Computerized management of related data records may be applied in different fields as, for example, genealogy and investigation of family history, catalog data management, document versions management, circuits and/or software testing management and other applications.
The problems of management of related data records as well as corresponding family-tree generation have been recognized in the art and various systems and methods have been developed to provide a solution, for example:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,665,677, to Wotring et al., describes a system and method for transforming a relational database to a hierarchical database. The invention comprises a computer-implemented method for transforming data in a relational database to a hierarchical database. It comprises creating an import map that maps each relational database field to a hierarchical field in the hierarchical database using a relational database schema and a hierarchical database schema, using the import map to import data from the relational database; and transforming the relational data into hierarchical documents. The method further comprises creating a hierarchical database schema that corresponds to the relational database schema. The hierarchical documents may be stored in computer memory or on disk.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,001 to Ripley, describes a system and method for sharing data between hierarchical databases. The computer-implemented system and method described therein allow data from a first hierarchical data structure to be applied to a second hierarchical data structure. The method comprises recursively comparing the source elements of the first hierarchical structure to the target elements of the second hierarchical structure, and applying the data from a source element or source child element to a matching target element or target child element. The method is iterated, until all elements of the second hierarchical data structure have been traversed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,760,731, to Huff, describes a worldwide genealogy data storage and retrieval system for implementation on the internet, wherein genealogical data from every source can be collected, reviewed, revised, extended, consolidated, summarized, indexed, lineage-linked, and displayed. The invention further relates to a method and apparatus for cooperative publishing and distribution of genealogical data. The invention allows owners of lineage-linked genealogical data to publish the data in any size increments and for buyers to select and retrieve any number of names and associated data. An integrated micropayment system requires users of the data to make payments for each increment of data received, and royalties are paid to the owners of the data from these payments.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,044, to Weinberg, et al., entitled “Method and apparatus for structuring, maintaining, and using families of data” discloses a method and apparatus for structuring, maintaining, and using families of data. According to the invention disclosed by Weinberg, et al., given one or more sets of partitioning data, one may construct a set of families based on the values of fields and attributes of the records in a database system. The families are stored and managed in separate tables. The records in data tables are identified as belonging to one or more families, while families may be represented in a hierarchical structure. Families may also inherit from each other based on a parent to child relationship also stored in the database.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,047,202 to Jaipuria et al., describes a method and apparatus for optimizing networking potential using a secured system for an online community. The system allows for users to search networks, both their own network and their peers' networks, all under the umbrella of a “multiple level access” security system. The present invention has been designed to optimize networking capabilities among users in a comprehensive online community. Networking among such a secured environment will allow users an opportunity to enhance their networking potential by expanding their networks to their peers' and beyond. A user registers with the online community and personally adds individuals that they know to their personal networking database. While adding these peers to the networking database, the user grants a specific level of access to each individual. This security measure is devised to discourage solicitation from other unwanted online users. The levels of access give the user an opportunity to control the amount of personal information, including contacts that they make, available to their individual peers. Based on the level of access granted by the user, the peer may or may not be able to access the users' information or the user's personal databases for potential networking. The level of access granted by two individuals need not be the same for each other.
US Patent Application No. 2002/032687, to Huff, entitled “Genealogy registry system” discloses a genealogy data storage and retrieval system for implementation on the Internet, wherein genealogical data from different sources can be collected, reviewed, revised, extended, consolidated, summarized, indexed, lineage-linked, and displayed.
US Patent Application No. 2003/14422 (Notargiacomo et al.) entitled “Method and system for building a family tree” discloses a method, system and computer software product for gathering information relevant to the creation of a family tree. Searching of multiple databases is done through a communication network for obtaining relevant information and assessing the probability that the newly identified individual is related to the original individual.
US Patent Application No. 2005/149497 (Cookson et al.) entitled “Genealogical investigation and documentation systems and methods” discloses a method of creating a family tree, the method includes receiving a request from a user to return a file that includes the family tree and using a plurality of primary source records to construct the family tree based on the request, wherein the records may indicate multiple alternatives for at least one branch of the family tree.
French Patent Application No. 2814563 (Hergault) entitled “Method allowing genealogy database users to exchange genealogy information over the Internet” discloses a method involving extraction of statistical information from databases comprising genealogy information, transmission of statistical information to a server-router, transmission of a request from an end-user, server comparison of request to the statistical information, transmission of the request from the server to a number of users, transmission of genealogy data from end-users to the requesting end-user via the Internet.